Update: As predicted, Nintendo has uploaded footage of the event to their YouTube Channel. Take a look.

Was anyone else surprised when the guy said that his older son wanted on for Christmas? Thought this thing was supposed to be unknown to the public.

Original: Nintendo and Southwest Airlines surprised a full flight today, giving every single Customer on board a free Wii U console. No kidding.

More than 100 passengers on flight 1883 from New Orleans to Dallas Love Field received Nintendo\’s first HD video game console, the Wii U, after they were greeted upon arrival by Nintendo\’s Mario Icon. During the flight, Mario surprised Customers with a special announcement, and Nintendo and Southwest Airlines representatives were on board to bask in the moment.

The surprise kicked off a broader partnership between Nintendo and Southwest, as previously reported, that is set to bring the Wii U experience to thousands of travelers during this busy holiday season. As the official video game partner of Southwest Airlines, Nintendo is setting up Wii U Gaming Lounges in some of Southwest\’s most heavily trafficked airports between now and Dec. 22. Passengers can pass the time before boarding by playing Super Mario 3D World and other newly released games, if their travels take them through the following airports: Dallas Love Field, Chicago (Midway), Denver, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and St. Louis. Up to four players can join the fun at each game kiosk for free.

Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America\’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing: \”No one is better than Nintendo and Southwest Airlines at bringing friends, families and fun together. As Southwest\’s video game partner, our aim is to bring smiles to travelers and Southwest Employees through the fun of Nintendo video games.\”

Kevin Krone, Southwest Airlines Chief Marketing Officer: \”Southwest Airlines continues to look for ways to have fun with our Customers and partnering with Nintendo will do just that. Much like Southwest, Nintendo delivers enjoyment and passion and we look forward to bringing the fun to our Customers nationwide.\”

In addition, there will also be a giveaway that just about anyone can join between now and Dec. 25. Click here to can enter for a chance to win one of 30 prize packages containing a pair of Southwest Airlines roundtrip tickets and one Wii U system. A new winner will be selected every day. The details of the contest can be found in the link.

For those who don\’t already know or who haven\’t yet experienced it, the Wii U console brings the innovation of a second screen to the world of video games, thanks to the resistive touch-screen capabilities of the Wii U GamePad controller. It plays the latest HD games from Nintendo and other third party companies, and includes social interaction via Nintendo\’s Miiverse. It also plays the full library of Wii games and is compatible with accessories like the Wii Remote and Wii Balance Board.

With a variety of home consoles and hand-held systems offered at various price points and a lineup of great games featuring classic characters that can\’t be played anywhere else, Nintendo offers travelers the best entertainment options to deliver smiles for the holiday season and beyond.

Always good to see Nintendo doing what they do best. Stick around for more on Nintendo\’s adventures.

Responsible for updating news, producing editorials, and reviewing games. When not carrying out these responsibilities, he can be found achieving first place in Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Republic Commando online, designing games, listening to and creating music, and watching and producing animations. Did he mention how good he was at Star Wars Battlefront 2 and Republic Commando?

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[…] giving every passenger on flight 1889 from New Orleans to Dallas a free Wii U console, according to Nintendo Enthusiast.More than 100 passengers received certificate for Nintendo’s next-gen console, and Southwest […]